Season 4 Podcast 96 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Canto 2 A Episode 4 “Duessa.”

Season 4 Podcast 96 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Canto 2 A Episode 4 “Duessa.” In the previous Podcast, # 91, Archimago, the wicked magician, lures The Red Cross Knight, Una, and the Dwarf to his cabin, where using a false dream convinces the Red Cross Knight that Una is untrue. Now we move to Canto II.  CANTO IIThe guileful great Enchanter partsthe Redcrosse Knight from truth,Into whose stead faire Falsehood steps,and works him woeful ruth. Morpheus, the God of dreams, at the command of Archimago, causes The Red Cross Knight to have salacious dreams. Evil sprites conjured up by Archimago take on the false form of the true Una and her lover while the real Una sleeps innocently in her bed in another room.  Eftsoones he took that miscreated faire,And that false other Spright, on whom he spreadA seeming body of the subtle air,Like a young Squire, in loves and lustybedHis wanton days that ever loosely led,Without regard of arms and dreaded fight:Those two he took, and in a secret bed,Covered with darkness and misdeeming night,Them both together laid, to joy in vain delight. The Redcross Knight, unaware that it is only his own lustful dreams, is invited voyeur-like by the wicked Archimago to witness the dreadful betrayal of his true love.  Forthwith he runs with feigned faithful hasteUnto his guest, who after troublous sightsAnd dreams, gan now to take more sound repast,Whom suddenly he wakes with fearful frights,As one aghast with fiends or damned sprights,And to him calls, Rise, rise, unhappy SwaineThat here wex old in sleep, whiles wicked wightsHave knit themselves in Venus shameful chain,Come see where your false Lady doth her honor stain. The Redcross Knight rises quickly from his bed and draws his sword. He wants to kill Una but Archimago stops him. Ironically had he actually destroyed the villains who were counterfeiting Una in a dream, falsely accusing her of infidelity, he would have discovered the truth. But the Redcross knight thinks Archimago is a holy man and believes him over what before he knew to be true, that Una was the epitome of holiness and virtue. In fact, only with Una could the Redcross Knight obtain holiness.  Without her he would once again fall into errors endless train. The purpose of Archimago is to separate the Red Cross Knight from truth, thus preventing him from become Saint George, the famed knight of old who slayed the fiery dragon. All in amaze he suddenly upstartWith sword in hand, and with the old man wentWho soon him brought into a secret partWhere that false couple were full closely mentIn wanton lust and leud embracement:Which when he saw, he burnt with jealous fire,The eye of reason was with rage yblent,And would have slain them in his furious ire,But hardly was restrained of that aged sire. Horrified to see Una in the luxurious bed of salty love, the Redcross Knight returns to his own bed in horror at his discovery. At the break of dawn, the Redcross Knight takes the Dwarf and they hastily abandon Una who all this while innocently slept, guiltless of any sin. It was the Red Cross Knight’s own salacious dreams that he was running from. The fault was in him not her.  Returning to his bed in torment great,And bitter anguish of his guilty sight,He could not rest, but did his stout heart eat,And waste his inward gall with deep despite,Irksome of life, and too long lingering night.At last faire Hesperus in highest skyHad spent his lamp and brought forth dawning light,Then up he rose, and clad him hastily;The Dwarf him brought his steed: so both away do fly.